Quick answer
On the Forest island, lower the camera and search the ground around the quest area, vegetation, structures and paths. The archive reports a five-leech objective, though one walkthrough describes a three-leech hand-in.
Search the island floor
- Reach the Forest, the second principal island.
- Talk to the farmer-type NPC near the lake so the objective is active.
- Lower the camera and scan the soil rather than the shoreline.
- Check around vegetation, buildings, paths and the immediate quest area.
- Collect carefully before leaving the session.
Why guides disagree on the count
The supplied sources conflict. Launch guidance and the page brief refer to five ground-spawned leeches, while the Destructoid walkthrough says to feed three to the woman by the lake before receiving a modified lure.
Follow the number shown by your current quest UI. The important verified correction is the location: these are ground pickups, not fish pulled from the water.
Logbook note: Players reported launch sessions where the full set did not appear. If a careful sweep leaves you short, treat it as a possible spawn issue instead of searching underwater indefinitely.
What the leeches unlock
The walkthrough says the lake NPC returns a modified lure after the hand-in. Equip that lure and reel it in to begin the Giant Piranha encounter. Preserve the boss’s distinctive skeleton or trophy piece for the return hand-in.
Source ledger
Sources
- Destructoid complete walkthrough — Island order, boss steps and equipment observations.
- Steam Community discussions — Launch-period progression reports and troubleshooting context.
- Ten things I wish I knew video — Ground-pickup location and launch spawn warning.